This invention concerns cameras in general and, more specifically, cameras for photo identification purposes wherein both a rotatable lens and a movable film plate are provided, which are moved in a predetermined sequence to expose separate but adjacent portions of a film element.
Cameras for sequentially exposing predetermined areas of a sensitized film are not new, per se. However, relevant prior art cameras do not have a combined rotating lens turret and a movable sensitized film plate structure which is easily operated to produce multiple exposed areas on each sheet of sensitized film. Furthermore, prior art cameras do not have an uncomplicated structure and system for assuring ready association of an exposed picture of a subject with a photo identification card, which is complete save for association of the proper picture with the card.
The following ten prior patents are illustrative of developments in the art to date. U.S. Pat. No. 3,503,317 issued to Clayton G. Johnson on Mar. 31, 1970, shows a six-frame format camera with a fixed film element and a lens movable sequentially over the six-frame areas of the film. However, parallax cannot be maintained, particularly with respect to the farthest separated individual frames. Also, the film pack is not movable. A similar system with similar parallax problems is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,025 issued to Otto T. Nebel et al on Jan. 3, 1978. This patent illustrates an endoscopic photographic system with a fixed film element and a nine-frame format apparatus, the lens only being sequentially movable over the film element. U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,381 issued to Lawrance M. Douglas on Feb. 20, 1979, discloses a camera with a lens movable from a central, full frame format to an offset, off axis position so that four smaller photographs may be taken on the same film sheet by rotation of the lens through 90.degree. arcs. However, although parallax problems are virtually solved, the film sheet support is not movable and thus the camera is limited to a four-frame format.
Other prior art cameras disclose systems in which the film is shifted to provide multiple images on the same sheet but the lens remains fixed. My own prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,667,364 issued June 6, 1972, discloses such a system with the film pack being movable in a predetermined sequence to provide, for example, nine exposures on a single sheet of film (FIG. 6). U.S. Pat. No. 3,726,198 issued to Albion P. Bjork et al on Apr. 10, 1973 (and a Division of this patent. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,748,987) discloses a camera arrangement with a movable film pack and a fixed lens for producing two identification cards on each sheet of film.
Still other relevant prior art cameras employ twin lenses and shifting film pack to produce multiple sequential exposures on each sheet of film. Examples of such cameras are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,796,485 issued to Myron A. Seiden on Mar. 12, 1974 and 4,270,855 issued to Lawrence M. Douglas on June 2, 1981. A major difficulty with such cameras is the extra expense mandated by the provision of two lenses.
A camera system utilizing both a movable film pack and a rotatable lens for exposure of two identification cards on each sheet of film is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,650,186 issued Mar. 21, 1972 to Lionel L. Stelck. After the subject's picture is taken, a data card holder 30 is lifted, thus shifting the lens, and the data card is photographed. Means for different light levels for photographing the subject and data card must be provided and two exposures are needed to produce each identification card. Thus, this patent does not teach sequential exposure of areas of a single film sheet using a program of alternative lens rotation and film pack shifting.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,587 issued Aug. 25, 1981 to Otto M. Schiff et al discloses an oscilloscope with a folded path optical system movable transversely and a four, six or nine image array film movable transversely with respect to the optical path to produce sequential multiple images on a sheet of film. However, in this case, the subject or oscilloscope image must travel with the optical path and lens for the system to be functional. Thus, although the invention is quite useful in the medical arts, it has little application in the part of producing photographs for identification cards.